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21.9.16

We Can(ada) Read: Interview with Danielle L. Jensen!

We Can(ada) Read is by Canadians for EVERYONE to learn more about some amazing Canadian authors! We have 16 Canadian bloggers highlighting 16 Canadian authors plus you can hear about what it's like to live in Canada and write CanLit from 8 Canadian authors, most of which are 2016 debuts! For a full schedule of events during We Can(ada) Read, please click HERE!

Danielle was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. At the insistence of the left side of her brain, she graduated in 2003 from the University of Calgary with a bachelor’s degree in finance. But the right side of her brain has ever been mutinous; and in 2010, it sent her back to school to complete an entirely impractical English literature degree at Mount Royal University and to pursue publication. Much to her satisfaction, the right side shows no sign of relinquishing its domination.

What is your favourite part about being a Canadian author?

Danielle L. Jensen: It’s a small club, especially in the YA space. I feel like we all know/know of each other, which creates a natural connection between us.

What do you think Canadian authors can exclusively bring to the table?

Danielle L. Jensen: Canadian spelling? Joking, of course! The YA market is dominated by American authors, so I believe authors from other countries inject different perspectives as well as cultural diversity.

What is your favourite “Canadian tradition”?

Danielle L. Jensen: Probably the use of parody and satire to laugh about politics, particularly our own.

How do you think your life as a Canadian overlaps with your writing? Do we see any of this in The Malediction Trilogy?

Danielle L. Jensen: Forsaken Mountain – the mountain that covers Trollus – was inspired by Turtle Mountain in Alberta and the rockslide that buried the town of Frank. This video was the inspiration for the exterior description of the trolls’ world

Describe STOLEN SONGBIRD in 10 words or less.

Danielle L. Jensen: Opera diva is kidnapped by trolls to break a curse.

Whose point of view did you enjoy writing more: Cécile or Tristan?

Danielle L. Jensen: In writing STOLEN SONGBIRD and HIDDEN HUNTRESS, I preferred writing from Tristan’s point of view. In WARRIOR WITCH, I preferred Cécile. Cécile was more challenging because I wanted her reactions and choices to realistic for a seventeen year old girl with her life experience. I wanted her to be real and relatable and to make mistakes, but I also wanted her to be strong and brave and compelling. Because Tristan is a mythological creature, my goals were to make him mysterious, exciting, and interesting, which I found easier.

How did you determine the rules for the troll culture? Was this based on some mythology or something you created?

Danielle L. Jensen: Some authors like to create their worlds before they start writing, but I prefer my plot to drive most of my world building. The trolls aren’t based on any particular mythology, but I did pick and choose certain aspects of fairy lore, as it suited my purpose. There is a bit of a 18th century France feel to Trollus, which I used as an inspiration for some of the revolutionary themes in the story.

What is your favourite aspect of Cécile’s character growth throughout the trilogy?

Danielle L. Jensen: This is a bit of a reversal of your question, but my favourite aspect of Cécile’s character is what didn’t change, and that’s how her emotions, particularly her empathy for other people, influenced her decisions. I get the sense sometimes that people believe the best path for an impulsive character is for them to start making decisions based purely on logic, but I disagree with that. Computers make poor heroines.

Where do you think your main characters would want to live if they lived in present day Canada?

Danielle L. Jensen: Tristan would probably want to live in Ottawa so that he could be neck deep in politics, but Cécile would drag him back and forth across the country (and the world) on her performance tours.

Now that The Malediction Trilogy is over, what do you plan to write next?

Danielle L. Jensen: I have several projects that I’m working on, but nothing I can formally discuss just yet. But I wouldn’t rule out a return to the world of Trollus…

STOLEN SONGBIRD

Summary:For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind: escape. But the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time…

But the more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing. And she just might be the one the trolls were looking for...

Jamie is a Canadian book blogger who owns more books than she can fit in her room. She mostly reads YA but has a soft spot for all types Science Fiction and Fantasy, so she carries those around with her as well. Jamie typically reads while drinking tea, curled up in a little ball for maximum warmth.

A Twitter firestorm was had over YA books set in college versus NA books versus everything else in the world, pretty much. Each side had i...

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